Equidae manure/urine catcher

ABSTRACT

A manure and urine collector pouch for, and to be worn by, an entire or gelded/spayed male/female horse or other animal of the equidae family, the pouch providing a forwardly-extending trough (23) for receiving relatively fluent matter, such that the total weight of the system and contents is distributed along a substantial part of the body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the catching and containment of urine andother excrement of horses and other animals including those normallyhoused in stables or the like, with a view to improving the cleanlinessof the stable and the freeing up of labour to other tasks.

Frequent mucking-out of stables, horse-boxes and like shelters andrenewal of sawdust etc. have in the past generally been necessary if theanimal's accommodation is to be kept in reasonable condition. This canrequire copious labour of a tedious and unpleasant nature.

It has already been proposed to fit the behind of an entire or geldedmale horse with a substantially triangular bag to receive manuredefecated by the animal. The bag was supported by a cover draped overthe horse's rear with a hole for its tail. A system of chest and neckstraps purported to hold the cover and bag in place. A forward end ofthe bag extended between the horse's rear legs to be detachably securedby straps to the lower sides of the cover, at a position just forward ofthe rear legs and to the rear of the penis.

A significant disadvantage of such a contrivance is that as the bag isfilled it tends to drag down the horse's rear in a way that can causethe animal evident discomfort.

An object of the present invention is to catch and hold defecated matterin a way that causes the animal less discomfort than the use of articlesknown and used hitherto.

Another object is to provide for the catching and holding of urine ofboth male and female horses.

A further object is to facilitate the taking of urine and otherspecimens for testing.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention in one form, an equidae excrementreceptacle is provided for or is adaptable to both males (entire andgelded) and females (entire and spayed) and is capable of holding bothmanure and urine by means of a catcher and holder system substantiallyconformable to the animal's belly and extendible forwardly from its rearto the rib area. A forward compartment may receive and hold relativelyfluent matter for separate disposal.

In another form the invention provides a system for catching equidaeexcrement that would otherwise foul the floor or the ground in stables,yards, paddocks or the like, and for enabling such matter to beconveniently disposed of as when and where required, including fasteningmeans, a rear catcher bag for relatively solid matter and a forwardcompartment for receiving and retaining relatively fluent matter, suchthat the total weight of the system and contents is distributed along asubstantial portion of the animal's body.

In another aspect the invention provides an excrement receptacle capableof being worn by an animal of the equidae family, wherein non-returnmeans admit fluent excrement to a forward compartment of saidreceptacle.

In a further aspect the invention provides a non-return valve formaterial passed via an opening into a container wherein a flexiblesleeve is expandible by passage of the material therethrough, an outerend of the sleeve being peripherally secured in said opening, the sleevein its-expanded condition forming a passage for the material into thecontainer via the sleeve's inner end, but in the event of back pressuretending to extrude matter back through the opening, the sleeve tendingto crush and collapse and thereby to close the opening.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

But in order that the invention may be better understood reference willnow be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate practicalpreferred embodiment and are to be considered as part of thisspecification and read herewith. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a practical embodiment of manure/urine catcher and holderdevice in accordance with the invention fastened to a horse e.g. astallion;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in FIG. 1 for a mare,the front wall being partially broken away to disclose a "sleeve valve";

FIG. 3 is a top view of a moulded rubber opening support in the deviceshown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a male version of the device shown inFIGS. 1, 2 and 3;

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a female or mare version of the deviceshown in FIGS. 1 to 4A, and omitting the front emptying plug;

FIG. 5, 6 and 7 are respectively side, front and top elevations of thedevice shown in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 8 is a rear elevation of both male and female devices shown in thepreceding figures;

FIGS. 9 and 10 show longitudinal sections of female and male devices asfastened in position to a mare and stallion respectively;

FIG. 11 shows in more detail a back cross section of the female deviceof FIGS. 2, 4B and 9 including the sleeve valve;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the sleeve itself in a normal orextended condition;

FIG. 13 shows the sleeve partially closed and collapsed;

FIG. 14 is a top view of the sleeve as shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a modified sleeve valve shown in anopen or extended condition;

FIG. 16 shows the modified sleeve valve partially closed and collapsed,and

FIG. 17 is an end view of the modified valve as shown in FIG. 15.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, there are shown manure/urinecatcher and holder systems adapted for both male and female horses.

As a preliminary general observation in relation to the drawings, itshould be stated that the female device is adapted to receive a mixtureof solid (manure) and fluid (urine) excrement, and will usually becompletely emptied via the device's rear opening 20. Therefore, as inFIGS. 4B and 9, the female device can generally do without the drainageplug 21 shown as part of the male device FIG. 4A, although for somepurposes it may be desired to have a drainage plug in a female device,such as shown in 22 in FIG. 2.

As shown generally in FIG. 1, the excrement catcher/holder system forboth male and female animals is in the form of a flexible elongatedtrough-shaped pouch indicated generally by 23 substantially conformableto the animal's belly, extending forwardly from the rear to or towardsthe rib area.

The device is adapted to catch excrement that would otherwise foul thefloor or the ground in stables, yards, paddocks or the like, and enablesthe excrement to be conveniently disposed of as and where required.

Pouch 23 may be made of any suitably strong, flexible and substantiallywaterproof material, such as a combination of plastics, hessian andrubber.

The pouch may be fastened to the horse by supporting means, e.g.adjustable straps or harness such as 24 of expandable lightweight orwebbing material whereby the animal's freedom of movement will not berestricted unduly. Plastics clamps and/or quick-release clips may beused as required. The supporting means for the device may also include acover or rug 25 with neck and breast straps 26 and 27 respectively.

The support as a whole is capable of distributing the total weight ofthe system and contents along a substantial portion of the animal's bodye.g. via straps associated with the rump, thigh, back, breast and/orshoulder areas.

Opening 20 affords passage to bag 28 which is the (or a) main part ofthe system. Extending above opening 20, a rear part 29 of pouch 23defines an aperture 30 for the animal's tail. Usually the animal willlift its tail somewhat at the onset of a manure (or urination, in thecase of a female) cycle. The arrangement of 29 and 30 may assist orallow this tail movement to afford freer/wider passage for excrementinto the bag than would normally be permitted by opening 20.

The male version of the device or pouch shown particularly in FIGS. 4A,6, 7 and 10 has a urine tray or passage 31 with an upper openingpositioned below or to receive the animal's penis (not shown) andleading via a non-return valve 32 to receptacle 33 from which urine canconveniently be drained via plug 21.

Also, "zip-fastener", "Velcro" or other openings can be provided, asdesired, for quick-emptying of the pouch.

I now refer more particularly to FIGS. 11 to 14. Evidently, in the caseof a male animal, the relatively solid excreta (manure) can be keptseparate from the fluent excreta (urine). However the female's anatomypresents difficulties in this regard, and the pouch or bag willgenerally and of necessity contain a semi-fluent mixture of both. Toinhibit the tendency of this substance to be forced back out throughopening 20, particularly if the horse lies down, there may be fittedwithin the opening of the bag a flexible funnel-like sleeve 34 ofrelatively thin plastics or like material of which a wide upper part 35is secured around the inside of opening 20 of bag 28. Normally, theanimal standing, excreta will drop into the bag opening. Its weight willpush sleeve 34 into the bag and it defines a convergent channel, throughan open lower end 36 of which the excreta passes into the bag itself.

If the horse lies down, the resulting compression of pouch 23 may tendto extrude semi-liquid matter back through opening 20. However a sleevesuch as 34 can at least to some extent act as a non-return valve formanure/urine retention. Pressure inside the pouch will tend to crush andcollapse the sleeve outwardly, and thereby to block the opening. FIG. 13shows an early stage of this crushing movement, and particularly theclosing of end 36, which may be assisted by slitting the inner end partof the sleeve as shown.

Cord 37 attached to the lower end of the sleeve may assist in pulling itout through opening 20 such as for cleaning purposes.

FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 show a modification of sleeve valve 34 useful as thenon-return valve 32. This valve, as stated, admits urine from tray orpassage 31 to the front receptacle 33.

A wider "outer" end 38 of the sleeve is peripherally secured in anopening in wall 39 separating 31 and 33. The sleeve expands (FIG. 15) toform a convergent passage for urine or other relatively fluent materialfrom 31 to 33, but is crushed back upon itself by back pressure whichwould otherwise cause liquid to return to 31, thereby effectivelyblocking the opening.

To prevent the sleeve from being forced back into 31, the opening may beconstricted in any desired manner such as by a grating, or an aperturedplate.

Irrespective of the provision of non-return valves such as 32 and/or 34,a filter or other device may be provided in the pouch to preferentiallypass relatively fluent material.

It will be clear from the foregoing that the invention provides a simpleand versatile catcher/holder for equidae excreta, easily emptied andcleaned as required, and providing a relatively equable weightdistribution over the animal's body.

Furthermore the ease whereby the matter can be collected and removedgreatly facilitates, for example, the taking of specimens for testing.

Although the invention has been described chiefly by reference tohorses, it can evidently be adapted for use with other four-leggedanimals, such as cattle, asses, mules, llamas and other domesticated ordomesticable animals which defecate manure and urine. For the purposesof this specification "equidae" is deemed to include all such animals.

For the purposes of this specification terms such as "forward","forwardly", "rear", "top", "side", "front", "above", "below", "upper"and the like, are to be understood as referring to the invention in aposition condition of use and not, therefore, as necessarily limiting.

I claim:
 1. An equidae manure and urine catcher/holder system for bothmale (entire or gelded) and female (entire or spayed) animals, thesystem including:a flexible elongated pouch substantially conformable tothe animal's belly and extendible forwardly from the rear to or towardsthe rib area, and fastening means enabling the animal to carry saidpouch, a flexible funnel or sleeve of which a wider end portion issecured around the inside of a rear opening of said pouch, the remainderof the sleeve being extendible into the pouch under the weight ofexcreted matter failing into said opening to admit such matter to thepouch via a narrow inner end of said sleeve, and in the event of backpressure tending to extrude matter back through the opening, to crushand collapse under said pressure so as effectively to close saidopening, and a fluid excrement receptacle and/or container locatedforwardly of a urine and/or manure bag which is the or a main part ofthe system and positionable below the animal's tail and substantiallybetween its rear legs, and means for emptying the sytem withoutunfastening the system or any part thereof.
 2. A system as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the fastening means include adjustable straps orharness placed so as to support the weight of the system and contentsvia the rump, thigh, back, breast and/or shoulder areas.
 3. A system asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the emptying means provide for drainingfluent material from the system.
 4. A system as claimed in claim 1,characterized by means responsive to movement of the animal's tail toassist or allow free passage of excrement into the pouch at the onset ofa manure cycle, and allowing said passage to close or to restrict uponcompletion of said cycle.
 5. A system for catching equidae excrementthat would otherwise foul the floor or the ground in stables, yards,paddocks or the like, and for enabling such matter to be convenientlydisposed of as when and where required, including fastening means, arear catcher bag for relatively solid matter and a forward compartmentfor receiving and retaining relatively fluent matter, such that thetotal weight of the system and contents is distributed along asubstantial portion of the animal's body.
 6. A system as claimed inclaim 5, wherein are provided emptying means for draining fluentmaterial from the forward compartment.
 7. A system as claimed in claim 5including non-return flexible funnel or sleeve valve means wherebyfluent material can move forwardly into and be retained in the forwardcompartment.